Australian racing has seen a range of prizemoney cuts in the past week and returns to owners may not be the only thing that is reduced in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
There is a strong likelihood that stud farms will reduce stallion fees for the 2020 breeding season.
Brad Bishop writes on Racing.com that Victoria’s leading farm, Woodside Park, has already flagged its intention to do so.
“Our 2020 service fees will be markedly reduced,” James Price, General Manager at Woodside, said.
“There’s no doubt that all stallions will stand at lesser fees than they did last year and that is on that the basis to support our clients in what is a testing time and will continue to be a testing time for a number of years.
Handsome Written Tycoon – stands at Woodside (Pic – Woodside Park)
“I think we’re probably just trying to get some certainty around the end date of this virus and what September 1 (the start of the breeding season) might look like. That will give us a bit more understanding as to what the fees should be.
“But 2020 service fees shouldn’t be about revenue raising, it should be about keeping as many people in the game as possible.”
Woodside stands Victoria’s leading stallion Written Tycoon, who last season stood for A$110,000. It also stands Tosen Stardom (A$19,250 in 2019), Foxwedge (A$16,500), Cable Bay (A$13,200) and Rich Enuff (A$12,100).
Price said their 2020 fees were yet to be confirmed and were unlikely to be announced until later in previous seasons.
Farms usually announce fees within a month of the conclusion of the Inglis Easter Yearling Sales, but most will hold off a little later this year.
Darley Australia’s Head of Sales, Alastair Pulford, said Sheikh Mohammed’s operation was yet to confirm its roster let alone what they would stand for.
One of Australia’s leading farms with bases at Aberdeen in New South Wales and Seymour in Victoria, Darley is waiting to get a better idea of the impact of COVID-19.
“I would imagine most studs will be delaying their release from the norm and we’re certainly considering that,” Pulford said.
“Our normal timing is to release them post the Easter yearling sales, or post the Championships, and that was again going to be the case but we just thought we might take stock.
“That’s not a definite, but it’s not out of the question. We probably just want to get all the information that’s possibly available to us before we leap in and make decisions.”
Darley boasts one of Australia’s largest stallion rosters, which includes former Australian Champion Sires Exceed And Excel (A$88,000 last year) and Lonhro (A$77,000), Brazen Beau (A$49,500) and Astern (A$33,000).
